Wilshere close to new Arsenal deal

Jack Wilshere believes Arsenal can still win the Barclays Premier League and Champions League this season and is ready to sign a new deal at the club.

Manager Arsene Wenger insists he has full confidence in his squad, who have been criticised for a string of below-par displays this season which have left them well off the pace in the Premier League.

And Wilshere's intention to commit himself to the club will be a welcome boost for the Gunners, with the England midfielder saying: "I am talking to the club and I probably will be committing my future to the club in the next couple of weeks."

He went on: "I know the team are going through a bad stage at the moment, but that is like any team."

The 20-year-old also sees no reason why Arsenal cannot turn things around in 2013.

"We can still realistically win everything we are in. I know we are a long way behind in the Premier League, but football changes quickly," Wilshere said at a FIFA 13 Ultimate Team appearance in a Q&A reproduced on www.skysports.com.

"If we win three games and another team loses a couple and draws one, we are back in it. It is not in our hands so we need a bit of luck.

"We are in the last 16 of the Champions League, that is going to be difficult, but we know in the Champions League anything can happen. It is two games and we can beat anybody. We showed that at home before when we beat Barcelona. There is no reason why we cannot do it again.

"We have got a hard game against Swansea in the FA Cup, but if we win that and a couple of big teams go out, anything can happen in cup football."